


Fear of the Water

by kishun



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M, among other things, learning how to swim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 15:31:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23237428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kishun/pseuds/kishun
Summary: It’s all dark skies, hazy lights and the adrenaline of doing something you’ve never done.
Relationships: Nicholas Latifi/Esteban Ocon
Comments: 14
Kudos: 23





	Fear of the Water

**Author's Note:**

> To every single Nicholas fan. There's like six of us but I appreciate each and every one of you.
> 
> This is fiction. Please keep on Ao3.

**July 2014**

They’re standing on the beach, toes in the sand. The sun is hidden by the clouds, the sky grey. The water’s rough, it stretches too far. Nick throws his shirt on a rock far from where the water is rushing in. The weather’s still humid, still making Esteban’s face feel flamed. Nick dives in, shoulders adjusting to the waves. Esteban watches him, every stroke cutting through the water’s surface all too easily.

“Este! Come on!” Nick’s smiling, beckoning his teammate to join him. Esteban takes a step forward, peeling off his shirt. 

“I don’t know Nicky,-” 

“Come on. Or I’ll drag you in myself!” Nick yells, wet hands pushing his hair back, out of his face. If Esteban wasn’t completely fucking terrified of getting into the water, he would have registered what Nicholas was feigning.

Esteban’s in his gym shorts and just decides to go for it, hell and most definitely high water. As soon as he’s under, it’s stark against his skin. He expected it but no amount of preparation can deter the first shock of cold water.

He balances and floats like Nick taught him, back against the water. Nicholas comes into view, laughing. A hand under his back, one against his opposite hip. He feels choked up but he’s not sure the water is the cause. 

“Not so bad, is it?” He hates the smile on Nick’s face, hates how he says it. It makes Esteban feel like he’s really at risk of drowning.

“It’s okay.” He trusts Nick, no matter how much he hates that the older pushed him into learning how to swim. 

One wave is too hard, Esteban moves farther, almost losing his balance. Nicholas catches him in time, pulling him back. 

“Already drifting away, I see.”

“Not funny, I-” Nick pushes him away, but Esteban manages to keep his equilibrium. “When I get out of the water, I will kill you. I swear I will-” Nick swims out to him, bringing him closer to shore. Esteban’s grip on him is so tight, it’s clear how scared he is. 

“Don’t hate me. It was a learning experience.” 

“I can still hate you.”

Nicholas teaches him how to move through the water, a guiding hand against his chest. In minutes, Esteban learns, following Nick’s every direction.

“See, you’re doing it. No need to be scared.” 

“Hate you, Nick.” Esteban rushes, padding to the shore. Nicholas catches up to him, grabbing his ankle. The water is shallow here, so Nick doesn’t care for caution. 

Esteban struggles, not getting anywhere.

“Nick! LET GO!” He kicks out of Nicholas’ grip, moving faster to the sand. As soon as Esteban is out of the water he’s laughing, running for his shirt. He doesn’t get that far.

Nick hooks a foot around Esteban’s leg, effectively tripping him. They both tumble onto the coarse sand, not even slightly dry. Drops of water trailing over Nick’s hair, down his jaw, falling to the surface of his neck. 

“You swam from danger. Proud of you.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Esteban smiles, his head resting against the ground. 

“_Oh thank you Nicky! Thank you for teaching me how to swim!_” Nicholas mocks, resting on his forearms over Esteban. The beach is empty, void of people. Except them.

‘“I will slap you.”

“No, you won’t.” As Esteban moves to speak, one of Nick’s hands moves to tilt his head up. By the time he knows he is being kissed, Nick is already smiling. Esteban lifts his head off the ground, presses his tongue against his teammate’s lips, tasting bounded salt. “Sink or swim, you know.” Nick whispers against his neck, eyes still shut.

“I’m not going to sink.” He replies. Nicholas rolls onto his back, Esteban pressed against his side.

“I know you won’t.” The little laugh Nick lets out makes him fall just a bit deeper.

They stay until the sun sets, driving to the hotel with sand still in their shoes. They find themselves dying of laughter in the elevator, Esteban having almost missed the door closing, the doors almost nipping the sleeve of his shirt. 

It’s all dark skies, hazy lights and the adrenaline of doing something you’ve never done.

Now dry skin is only wet by the spray of the shower, both of them standing in the small space. Nick presses Este’s back against the tiled wall of the shower, aiming to make Esteban feel like he’s still floating. 

The sand is long gone but everything else is the same. There’s water, there’s the same sensation of a strong current, there’s Nick. He’s being kissed right, being touched where he needs it most. Nick’s teaching him a different game, entirely. 

It’s all mind over matter after this.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I listen to Majid Jordan (just helps me write the rich canadian boy vibes for Nicholas) while writing and the title comes from the song _Fear of the Water_ by SYML. 
> 
> On tumblr, you can find me @carlando09.
> 
> Stay safe, stay home. Have a good day/night, folks.


End file.
